Although there is ample reason to fear rising manifestations of anti-Semitism in the U.S., writes David E. Bernstein, there is in fact little reason to believe that hostile attitudes toward Jews have risen dramatically. He cites a recent study by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) as evidence:

While belief in stereotypes about Jews remains widespread, the ADL found that only 11 percent of American adults believed in six or more of the eleven stereotypes tested—a tie for the lowest percentage ever. By contrast, the first year the ADL undertook this study, the figure was 29 percent. So much for the constant refrain from the ADL’s Jonathan Greenblatt and others that we are living through “the worst period of anti-Semitism in the United States since the 1930s.”

Now, I admit that ADL methodology is far from perfect, but it does provide a basis for comparison, and there has been no spike, or even an increase, in anti-Semitism because of Donald Trump or anyone else. The problem of anti-Semitism in the United States is a problem of the far-left and far-right fringes, and the way social media, technology, partisanship, and the decline of media gatekeepers have allowed them to have a much louder voice. These fringes need to be isolated; the Trump administration shouldn’t be giving discretionary media credentials to far-right anti-Semites, and Bernie Sanders shouldn’t be allying with Linda Sarsour, Rashida Tlaib, and company. And of course better security and preemptive work by law enforcement is needed to stop what does appear to be a spike in anti-Semitic violence.

But for those who thought that the U.S. was heading toward the sort of commonplace, mainstream anti-Semitism prevalent in some European countries, you can breathe a sigh of relief, at least for now.

After several weeks of passionate political conflict in Israel over judical reform, the tensions seem to be defused, or at least dialed down, for the time being. In light of this, and in anticipation of the Passover holiday soon upon us, Eric Cohen considers the way forward for both the Jewish state and the Jewish people. (Video, 8 minutes. A text is available at the link below.)